Steering mechanism



J. N; KELLY.

STEERING MECHANiSM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. 1921.

1,386,? 1 QB Pafwmed Aug. 9 19211,

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

AAA/ENTO/E J. N: HELL L.

J. N. KELLY.

STEERING MECHANISM.

1 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5. I921.

1 $86fi1 Patented Aug. 9 119210 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- drawing. 1 0

' UNHTEE STATES JOSEPH N. KELLY, OE DAYTON, 0M0.

STEERHTG MECHANISM.

To all whom alt may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrnll. KELLY, a citizen of the United States,reslding at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new. and useful Improvements in Steering Mechanism, ofwhich the following is a specificatlon, ref ence being had therein tothe accompanying This invention relates to steering mechanism for motordriven vehicles and the like. One object of the invention 1s to providesuch a steering mechanism which Wlll be simple in construction, of astrong, durable character, and positive in its operat 1on.

A further object of the invention 1s to provide such a steeringmechanism whlch can be adjusted to maintain a firm operative contactbetween the cooperating parts thereof.

Other objects of the invention will appear,

as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Flgure 1 is a sectional view taken betweenthe two parts of the casing and showing the operat ng mechanism inelevation; 2 1s a section taken on the line 2'2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 1s atransverse section taken on thefline 3-3 of Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is atransverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig; 5 1s a planview of the rocker arm; and Fig. 6 1s a sectional view .of the partsmounted on the main shaft, taken on the line 6-6 of Flg. 2.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, andhave shown the several parts thereof as mounted within a case 1 whichconstitutes a main frame, the two parts of which can be separated topermit access to the interior mechanism and then connected one to theother to form an oil tight casing. The shape and character of thiscasing may, of course, be varied to accommodate the same to varyingconditions. As here shown, a steering post 2 is mounted on one end ofthe casing and a steering shaft 3, which is arranged within the post, isjournaled in a suitable bearing 4 on the main casing. Preferably theinner end of the steering shaft is reduced, as shown at 5, and journaledin the bearing 6, also formed in the main casing. Mounted within thesteering shaft, which is hollow, is an anchor tube 7 having mountedwithin the same in telescopic relation a throttle, or fuel controlling,shaft 8, and a spark con- I Specification of letters Patent.

Application filed. February '5, 1921; serial No.

trolling shaft 9, both of which may extend Patented Aug. 9, 1 .921.

to the steering wheel and be actuated in the usual manner.

The steering shaft 3 is provided within the casmg with a pinion and, inthe present lnstance, the pinion is formed by cutting the teeth in theinner portion of the shaft 3, as shown at 10. This pinion meshes with agear 11 which is mounted on a shaft 12 supported by -the end walls ofthe casing. Eccentrlcally mounted on the shaft 12 and spaced somedistance apart are two disks, 13 and 14, WhlCh' are preferably, but notnecessarily, circular in shape and which are so connected with the gear11 as to rotate therewith when rotatory movement is imparted to thisgear by the steering shaft. n the present construction the gear 11 isrlgldly mounted on a sleeve 15 which in turn is mounted on the shaft 12and is keyed thereto so that it will be caused to rotate therewlth butwill be capable of axial movement thereon. The eccentric disk 13 isrlgldly secured to the sleeve 15 for rotation therewith. As here shown,the sleeve 15 is mounted, between the gear and the disk 18, m a bearing16 and the inner end of the sleeve, beyond the disk 13, extends a shortdlstance into, and is journaled, in, a second bearmg 17 both bearingsbeing preferably formed integral with the main frame. The second disk 14is also mounted on a sleeve, as shown at 18, and the inner end of thissleeve is journaled in the bearing 17 and normally spaced some distancefrom the end of the sleeve 15. The outer end of the sleeve 18 isjournaled in a bearing 19 carried by and extending inwardly from the endwall of the casing 1. The sleeve 18 is splined to the shaft 12 so thatit will be caused to rotate therewith but may be moved axially thereon,thus permitting of the two disks being moved toward and from one anotherwithout affecting their annular relation one to the other. As will benoted, the axis about which the two disks rotate is arranged off centerrelatively to both disks and those portions of the two disks having thegreatest radius are arranged diametrically opposite one another. Axialmovement or longitudinal adjustment may be imparted to the sleeves, andthe disks carried thereby, in any suitable manner but, as here shown,the ends of the shaft 12 are journaled in bearings20 which are in theform of nuts screw threaded into bosses 21 on the respective ends of thecasing and having heads 22 which can be 'pped by a wrench or othersuitable imp ement for rotatlng the nut. The inner ends of the bearings,0r nuts, 20 en age the adjacent ends of the sleeves 15 an 18,respectively, so that when the nuts are rotated in a direction to causethem to move 1n- Wardly the sleeves will be forced toward one another.Obviously, either sleeve and its disk may be adjusted independently ofthe other sleeve and its disk.

A rock shaft 23 is journaled in the bearing formed in the main casmg,extends transversely to the axis about which the disks 13 and 14 rotate,and has one end projecting some distance beyondthe caslng and adapted tobe connected with the wheels which are to be steered. In the resent1nstance, a steering arm 24 is rigi 1y secured to the outer end of therock shaft. Rlgldl secured to the rock shaft 23 and, if deslre formedintegral therewith, is a rock arm 25, the ends of which project onoppcslte sides of the rock shaft and are provided with parts adapted toengage the perlpherles of the respective disks 13 and 14. Thus therotation of the disks about their common axis will cause the rock arm 25to move about its axis and will thus impart movement to the wheels whichare to be steered in a direction and to an extent corresponding to themovement of the disks.

Preferably the mechanism is such that the disks can be adjusted to causethe same to have a firm working contact from the respective parts of therock arm and to take u any wear which may result from the use of themechanism. To this end the disks 13 and 14 are here shown as frustoconical in shape and have their smaller ends ad'acent one to the other.The garts of the roc arm which engage the rip cries of the disks arealso preferably a justable so that they will automatically adjustthemselves to maintain their faces in contact with the full width of therespective disks in all positions of the.

rock arm. To this end those parts of the arm which engage the disks areformed separate from the body of the arm and, in the present instance,they are shown in the form of blocks, 26, having their contact facesflat and having their bearing surfaces curved and fitting within thebearing recesses 27 in the respective ends of the arm 25, the. blocksbeing with the disks. To hold the disks against longitudinal movement intheir bearings, or

held in these recesses-by their contact seats, pins 28 are passedthrough the ends of the arms and their. ends roject into rooves' 29formed in the circum erence of the locks." It will be apparent that thisconstructionpermits the blocks to move freely about axes parallel withthe axis about which the arm 25 rocks but holds'the same againstlon- 4meavro gitudinal displacement. Consequently, as the disks rotate, andthe rock arm chan es its position the bearing blocks 26 will shlft theirpositions on their seats so as to maintain their. contact surfaces inengagement with the peripheries or contact surfaces of the disks acrossthe full width thereof. Because of the tapered shape of the disks andthe fact that the faces of the bearing blocks embodiment of my inventionI wish it to be understood that I do .not desire to be limitedto thedetails thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilledin the art.

Having now fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. In a steermg mechanism, a supporting .member, a pair of diskssupported by said member for rotation about a common axis and arrangedofi. center relatlvely to said axis, means for simultaneously rotatingboth disks, a shaft extending transversely to said axis and adapted tobe connected with the wheels to be steered, an arm secured to said rockshaft and having parts on the opposite sides of its axis to engage therespective disks and means for adjusting said disks relatively to saidsupporting member to maintain a firm engagement between the same andsaid parts of said arm. I

2. In a steering mechanism, a pair of disks mounted for rotation about acommon axis which is arranged olf center relatively to both disks, meansfor simultaneously rotating both disks, a rock .shaft extendingtransversely to sald axis and adapted to be connected with the wheels tobe steered, an

arm secured to said rock'shaft and having parts on the opposite sides ofits axis to engage the respective disks, and means for axially adjustingsaid firm engagement between the same and said parts of said arm.

3. In a steerin mechanism, a pair of frusto conical dis s mounted forrotation about a common axis which is arranged off center relatively toboth disks, .means forv simultaneously'rotating said disks, a rock 1shaft. extendin transversely to said axis and. adapted to istobegsteered, an arm secured to said rock shaft and-having parts on theopposite sides connected with the wheels disks to maintain a of its axisto engage the respective disks,

said parts being adjustable to maintain their faces parallel with thecontact surfaces of said disks, and means for axially adjusting saiddisks.-

4:. In a steering mechanism, a pair of frusto conical disks mounted forrotation about a common axis which is arranged-0E center relatively toboth disks, means for simultaneously rotating said disks, a rock shaftextendin transversely to said axis and adapted to ie connected with thewheels tobe steered, an arm secured'to said rock shaft and having partson the opposite sides of its axis to engage the respective disks, saidparts being adjustable to maintain their faces parallel with the contactsurfaces of said dlsks.

5. In a steering mechanism, a pair of disks mounted for rotation about acommon axis which is arranged 0E center relatively to both disks, meansfor simultaneously rotating both disks, a rock shaft extendingtransversely to said axis and adapted to be connected with the wheels tobe steered, an arm secured to said rock shaft, and contact blocksmounted on said arm on opposite sides of its axis and having contactsurfaces to engage the peripheries of the respective disks, said blocksbeing movable about axes parallel with the axis of said arm.

6. In a steering mechanism, a pair of disks mounted for rotation about acommon axis which is arranged ofi' center relatively to both disks,means for simultaneously rotating both disks, a rock shaft extendingtransversely to said axis and adapted to be connected with the wheels tobe steered, an arm secured to said rock shaft and having bearings onopposite sides of its axis, contact blocks having curved bearingsurfaces mounted in the respective bearings in said arm andhaving'contact faces to engage the peripheries of the respective disks,and means for holding said contact blocks against longitudinal movementin said bearmgs.

7. In a steering mechanism, a shaft, means for imparting rotatorymovement to saidshaft, disks eccentrically mounted on said shaft forrotation therewith and for movement axially thereof, a rock shaftextending transversely to the first mentioned shaft, an arm secured tosaid rock shaft and having parts on the opposite sides of its axis toengage the peripheries of the respective disks, and means for impartingaxial movement to said disks.

8. In a steering mechanism, a shaft, means for imparting rotatorymovement to said shaft, disks eccentrically mounted on said shaft forrotation therewith and for movement axially of said shaft relatively oneto the other, a rock shaft extending transversely to the first mentionedshaft, an arm secured to said rock shaft and having parts on theopposite sides of its axis to engage said blocks having diskseccentrically mounted on the respective sleeves, means for adjustingsaid sleeves longitudinally of said shaft, a rock shaft extendingtransversely to the first mentioned shaft, and an arm secured to saidrock shaft and having parts on the opposite sides of its axis to engagethe perlpheries of the respective disks, and means for adjustin saidsleeves and said disks axially of said first mentioned shaft.

10. In a steering mechanism, a main frame, axially adjustable bearingscarried by said main frame, a shaft journaled in said bearings, meansfor imparting'rotatory movement of said shaft, sleeves mounted on saidshaft for rotation therewith and for movement axially thereof, saidcasing having bearings for said sleeves, frusto conical disks rigidlysecured to and arranged eccentrically of the respective sleeves, a rockshaft extending transversely to the first mentioned shaft, an armsecured to said rock shaft, and contact blocks mounted on said arm onopposite sides of its axis for adjustment about axes arranged parallelwith said rock shaft,

flat contact faces to engage the peripherles of the respective disks,the outer ends of the respective sleeves being so arranged with relationto the respective bearings for the first mentioned shaft that theadjustment of these bearings will impart axial'movement to therespective sleeves and the disks carried thereby.

11. In a steering mechanism, a pair of disks mounted for rotation abouta common axis which -is arranged off center relatively to both disks,means for simultaneously rotating said disks, a rock shaft extendingtransversely to said disks and adapted to be connected with the wheel tobe steered, an arm secured to said rock shaft and having parts on theopposite sides of its axis to enga e the respective disks, said partsbeing ad ustable to maintain the faces parallel with the contactsurfaces of said disks.

12. In a steering mechanism, a frame, a steering shaft journaled in saidframe and having a pinion at its inner end, a second shaft ournaled insaid frame parallel with the said steering shaft, a gear secured to saidsecond shaft for rotation therewith and meshing with said pinion, diskseccentrically mounted on said second shaft, a rock shaft extendingtransversely to saidsecond shaft,

an arm earned by said rock haft and having parts on opposite sides ofits axis to ensecured to pne of said sleeves and mes age the respectivedisks; and means for adwith said pmion', disks eccentrically mounteusting said disks relatively to said second on the respective sleeves, arock shaft exh ft, tending transversely to said second shaft, an 15 513. In a steermg mechanism, a frame, a arm carried by said rock shaftand having steering shaft journaled in said frame and parts on theopposite sides of its axis to enhaving a pinion at its inner end, asecond gage the respective disks, and means for adshaft journaled insaid frame parallel with usting said sleeves.

said steering shaft, sleeves mounted on 'said In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature 20 10 second shaft for rotation therewith andcahereto.

pable of adjustment axially thereof,a gear JOSEPH N. KELLY.

